Signal device and system



Aug. 15, 1967 A. L. WHITE 3,336,586

SIGNAL DEVICE'AND SYSTEM Filed March 18, 1964 I NVENTOR.

W A ()RNEYS Unite States Patent 3,336,586 SIGNAL DEVICE AND SYSTEM Adrian L. White, Box 508, Pocahontas, Ark. 92455 Filed Mar. 18, 1964, Ser. No. 352,733 2 Claims. (Cl. 340-3095) This invention relates to improvements in signalling devices and more particularly relates to such devices adaptable for installation in broadcast stations to periodically alert an operator to log the last radio stage of the transmitter and frequency monitor reading and make the necessary adjustments to the transmitter.

In the radio and television broadcast industry, the Federal Communications Commission requires that each thirty minutes an entry be made in a log book of the operating constants of the last radio stage, that is, total plate current and plate voltage, antenna current and the frequency monitor reading. The logging of these meters is done by the operator on duty. The operator, usually doubling as the operator and announcer, is busy doing many jobs and frequently neglects the transmitter log, considered to be a serious violation by the Federal Communications Commission.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide a simple and improved form of signalling device alerting the operator on duty in a broadcasting station to enter the transmitter log reading and make necessary adjustments to the transmitter at the times required.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved form of signaling device giving an audible or visual signal in certain time intervals to alert the operator on duty of a broadcasting station to enter and maintain the transmitter log when required.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a simple and improved form of log indicating device for broadcasting stations in the form of a continuously operating motor and switching means periodically operated thereby and initiating a signalling circuit to give a visual or audible signal, alerting the operator of a broadcasting station to enter readings of the transmitter to the log when required.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein the figure is in the form of a wiring diagram, diagrammatically showing a signalling device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, I have shown a timed interval signalling device operable to give either a visual or audible signal controlled by operation of a motor 10, which may be a conventional form of timer motor making one revolution each time interval the transmitter log is to be entered to energize a buzzer or bell 11 and a Warning lamp 12 or to individually energize the lamp, depending upon the position of a double-pole double-throw switch 13.

The motor has a motor shaft 15 having a timer cam 16 thereon and rotated thereby. The timer cam 16 has a recess or notch 17 therein, engaged by a follower roller 18 on the end of a Switch arm 19. The switch arm 19 may be a resilient switch arm made from a piece of spring steel, Phosphor bronze or a like material riveted or otherwise secured to a casing 20 of a switch 21 which may be a conventional microswitch.

The yieldability of the switch arm 19 maintains the follower roller 18 in engagement with the periphery of the cam 16 and as the follower roller 18 drops into the groove or notch 17 the switch arm 19 will be allowed to move toward the casing 20 and depress a switch button Patented Aug. 15, 1967 22 of the switch 20 and close contacts 23 of said switch,

to complete a circuit from a main line conductor 24 through a conductor 25 and flasher 26 to the double-pole double-throw switch 13.

When the double-pole double-throw switch 13 is in one position, a circuit will be completed from a conductor 27 leading from the flasher 26 through a switch arm 28 of said switch and a contact 29 to energize the lamp 12 and through a conductor 30 having a fuse 31 and a single pole switch 32 therein. The switch 32 serves as an on and oil switch and is closed to instigate a signalling operation.

When the double-pole double-throw switch 13 is in another position, a circuit will be completed from the conductor 27 through the switch 13 to the lamp 12 and buzzer or bell 11, to intermittently illuminate the lamp and sound the buzzer or bell 11.

The flasher 26 may be a commercial form of flasher such as a beacon type of flasher made by Eagle Electric Manufacturing Company, of Long Island City, N.Y., and is no part of the present invention so need not herein be shown or described further.

The motor 10 is connected across the conductors 24 and 30 by conductors 35 and 36 respectively, and may be a conventional form of electric timing motor, which in the present instance drives its motor shaft 15 to make one complete cycle of rotation each thirty minutes, and to thereby effect closing of the contacts 23 of the switch 21 to give a visual or visual and audible signal each thirty minutes. It should here be understood, however, that the motor shaft 15 may rotate at different rates of speed and that where the motor shaft rotates at a slower rate of speed than one revolution each thirty minutes, that the number of notches in the cam 16 may be increased to effect the giving of an audible or audible and period, or any other period selected.

A means is provided to continue the visual or visual and audible signal as the follower 18 rides out of the notch 17 and the contacts 23 of the switch 21 open, which is herein shown as being in the form of a holding circuit attained by contacts 39 and 40 of a relay 41 closed by a relay coil 44, initially energized through the switch 23, conductor 25 and conductor 30. The contact 39 is shown as being connected with the conductor 24 through a normally closed reset switch 43' and completes a circuit from the conductor 24 through the contact 40 and coil 44 to maintain the relay coil 44 energized, and also completes a circuit through the conductor 25, flasher 26 and contacts of the double-pole doublethrow switch 13.

Therefore, as the contacts 23 of the switch 21 are closed, the circuit through the contacts 39 and 40 will be closed. As the follower 18 rides out of the notch 17 and eiiects opening of the circuit through the contacts 23, the relay coil 44 will be held energized through the contacts 39 and 40 through the reset switch 43, and hold an energizing circuit closed from the conductor 24 through the flasher 26 and conductor 27 to the double-pole doublethrow switch 13, to hold the lamp 12 energized or to intermittently light the lamp 12 and energize the buzzer 11, depending upon the position of said double-pole double-throw switch 13.

It will be seen from the foregoing that a simplified form of signalling device and system has been provided giving a visual or visual and audible signal at the termination of predetermined time intervals, and that the signals are initiated by the dropping of the follower roller 18 in the notch 17 of the cam 16, operated by the continuously operating motor 10, and that the signals are maintained as the follower roller rides out of the notch 3 17 by the holding circuit through the normally closed reset switch 43 and the contacts 39 and 40 of the relay 41.

It will further be understood that when the announcer or operator of the broadcasting station has been alerted to enter readings of the transmitter in the operating log, the buzzer and/ or light may be turned ofi by pushing the reset button 43 and thereby deenergizing the relay coil 44 opening the circuit between the conductors 24 and 30.

It should also be understood that while the circuit herein disclosed is so arranged that the lamp may be energized separately from and with the audible alarm, that the circuit may readily be arranged to energize either the lamp or the audible alarm, and that the sound given off by the audible alarm in the form of the buzzer or bell 11 may be regulated to suit the operator or announcer of the broadcasting station.

When it is desired to turn off the alarm system, the switch 32 may be opened. The motor 1, however, will continue to operate when the switch is open and will be ready to operate the switch 21 to give a signal at the desired time interval as the switch 32 is turned back on. It should also be understood that the motor shaft 15 and cam 16 may be manually turned in aconventional manner, to enable the position of the notch 17 and the cam 16 to be reset where desired or necessary.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which the invention may be embodied, it may readily be understood that various variations and modifications in the invention'may be attained without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts thereof.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a Signalling device adapted to alert an operator to log the final stages of the radio transmitter and the frequency monitor,

a timer motor having a motor shaft,

a cam on said motor shaft and rotatably driven by said motor and having a notch therein,

an energizing circuit to said timer motor for continuously energizing said motor,

a signalling device,

an energizing circuit to said signalling device connected to said energizing circuit to said motor including, a switch having a resilient switch arm fixed at one end and having a follower on the free end thereof biased into engagement with said cam by the resiliency of said switch arm, said switch having two fixed contacts connected in said energizing circuit to said signalling device, a movable contact engageable with said fixed contacts as said follower drops into said notch on said cam and completing an energizing circuit to said signalling device,

a holding circuit for said signalling device comprising,

a relay having a coil connected in said energizing circuit to said signalling device and energized upon the closing of a circuit between said fixed contacts,

a conductor connected from said energizing circuit to said motor to said energizing circuit to said signalling device and having two relay contacts connected to complete a circuit through said conductor to said signalling device upon energization of said coil and connected to hold said coil energized through said conductor,

a second signalling device connected in parallel with said first mentioned signalling device, one of said signalling devices being visual and the other of said signalling devices being audible,

switching means operable to effect operation of either one or both of said signalling devices,

and a reset switch in said conductor operable to deenergize said coil and the energizing circuit to said signalling devices and to reset the apparatusf 2. A signalling device in accordance with claim 1,

wherein a flasher is provided in the energizing circuit to said visual and audible signalling devices to effeet the intermittent operation of said signalling devices.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/ 1925 Fischer 307141 12/1947 Smith -1 340309.l 10/ 1952 Dorothea 20092 9/1954 Sprague 34(l309.5 5/1961 Piuetz 340-371 X 9/1962 Zoglio 340 -3094 OTHER REFERENCES Automatic Logging of AM, FM, and TV Transmit- 

1. IN A SIGNALLING DEVICE ADAPTED TO ALERT AN OPERATOR TO LOG THE FINAL STAGES OF THE RADIO TRANSMITTER AND THE FREQUENCY MONITOR, A TIMER MOTOR HAVING A MOTOR SHAFT, A CAM ON SAID MOTOR SHAFT AND ROTATABLY DRIVEN BY SAID MOTOR AND HAVING A NOTCH THEREIN, AN ENERGIZING CIRCUIT TO SAID TIMER MOTOR FOR CONTINUOUSLY ENERGIZING SAID MOTOR, A SIGNALLING DEVICE, AN ENERGIZING CIRCUIT TO SAID SIGNALLING DEVICE CONNECTED TO SAID ENERGIZING CIRCUIT TO SAID MOTOR INCLUDING, A SWITCH HAVING A RESILIENT SWITCH ARM FIXED AT ONE END AND HAVING A FOLLOWER ON THE FREE END THEREOF BIASED INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CAM BY THE RESILIENCY OF SAID SWITCH ARM, SAID SWITCH HAVING TWO FIXED CONTACTS CONNECTED IN SAID ENERGIZING CIRCUIT TO SAID SIGNALLING DEVICE, A MOVABLE CONTACT ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID FIXED CONTACTS AS SAID FOLLOWER DROPS INTO SAID NOTCH ON SAID CAM AND COMPLETING AN ENERGIZING CIRCUIT TO SAID SIGNALLING DEVICE, A HOLDING CIRCUIT FOR SAID SIGNALLING DEVICE COMPRISING, A RELAY HAVING A COIL CONNECTED IN SAID ENERGIZING CIRCUIT TO SAID SIGNALLING DEVICE AND ENERGIZED UPON THE CLOSING OF A CIRCUIT BETWEEN SAID FIXED CONTACTS, A CONDUCTOR CONNECTED FROM SAID ENERGIZING CIRCUIT TO SAID MOTOR TO SAID ENERGIZING CIRCUIT TO SAID SIGNALLING DEVICE AND HAVING TWO RELAY CONTACTS CONNECTED TO COMPLETE A CIRCUIT THROUGH SAID CONDUCTOR TO SAID SIGNALLING DEVICE UPON ENERGIZATION OF SAID COIL AND CONNECTED TO HOLD SAID COIL ENERGIZED THROUGH SAID CONDUCTOR, A SECOND SIGNALLING DEVICE CONNECTED IN PARALLEL WITH SAID FIRST MENTIONED SIGNALLING DEVICE, ONE OF SAID SIGNALLING DEVICES BEING VISUAL AND THE OTHER OF SAID SIGNALLING DEVICES BEING AUDIBLE, SWITCHING MEANS OPERABLE TO EFFECT OPERATION OF EITHER ONE OR BOTH OF SAID SIGNALLING DEVICES, AND A RESET SWITCH IN SAID CONDUCTOR OPERABLE TO DEENERGIZE SAID COIL AND THE ENERGIZING CIRCUIT TO SAID SIGNALLING DEVICES AND TO RESET THE APPARATUS. 